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| Dana G. Mordue, Ph.D. |
Dana G. Mordue, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Secretary of the NYMC Faculty Senate, Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate, Vice Chancellor for Middle States Accreditation, Co-Chair of the Strategic Planning Executive Committee
On one hand, Dana G. Mordue, Ph.D., associate professor of microbiology and immunology, is a leading infectious diseases researcher widely recognized for her groundbreaking research on diseases caused by Apicomplexa parasites. These studies include the disease babesiosis—an emerging tick-borne disease in the U.S. as well as an increasingly common blood transfusion-transmitted infection. On the other hand, she is a humble educator and mentor who is deeply committed to ensuring the future excellence of New York Medical College (NYMC) and its students. Not to mention, Dr. Mordue holds multiple leadership positions including vice chancellor for Middle States Accreditation and co-chair of NYMC’s 2020-2025 Strategic Planning Executive Committee.
Here, NYMC’s leading, and currently only, parasitologist speaks to how her passion for searching for the truth led her to the forefront of novel scientific discoveries.
What is your proudest professional accomplishment?
The first time I came up with my own hypothesis, made a new discovery and published a manuscript on it in Journal of Experimental Medicine, was definitely among my proudest professional accomplishments. That was the first time I really felt my work and my ideas changed the scientific understanding of how the parasite Toxoplasma gondii invades cells and survives inside of them. Similarly, I remember feeling extremely accomplished when I got my first NIH RO1 grant as an independent investigator.
What do you love most about your job (either as a researcher or as an educator and mentor)?
I still love it when I come up with a new scientific discovery that no one else has ever discovered before and leads to either changes in knowledge or treatment of a disease. It’sIt is important to me that I can help invest in and advance the careers of students at NYMC, including those that I am personally privileged to mentor through our research.
What inspired you to pursue this field?
This may sound naïve, but I wanted to search for truth and facts. I liked history and literature, but the interpretation always seemed to be influenced by personal beliefs or opinions/perceptions. In biological sciences there are real truth and real facts to be discovered—whether or not any of us ever fully understand them.
Any interesting facts no one knows about you?
I was an exchange student in Jordan in high school. I have a funny story I can share about my attempt to ride a camel. I also worked/volunteered as a youth pastor, counselor, and lay pastor in a neurosurgery intensive care unit at various points in my life.
What’s coming down the pike for you?
Babesiosis is an emerging tick-borne disease that is especially prevalent in the northeast, including here in New York’s Hudson Valley. Little is known about the parasite that causes the disease or the disease itself. I am hopeful that our team of investigators at NYMC who study tick-borne diseases will continue the College's history of advancing the understanding and treatment of tick-borne diseases.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Through my career at NYMC I have been able to participate in strategic planning and accreditation for the College. I truly appreciate the work that the faculty, administration, staff and students have done, and are doing, in the areas of strategic planning and accreditation; this includes the daily mentorship/teaching of students, research efforts and service. We have a great group of dedicated faculty and staff who truly are invested in the success of the College and all of its stakeholders.